Dos and Don’ts of Losing Weight: Are You Sabotaging Your Weight Loss?

Weight loss is the top resolution year in year out. Yet, 68% of our country is still overweight or obese. The weight loss industry is a $20 billion industry and over 100 million people dieting in the US at any given moment. So, with all of these diet solutions, why are so many people still overweight?

The weight loss and nutrition industry is a fledgling industry filled with different approaches and theories (Atkins, Paleo, South Beach, Zone, Wheat Belly, Blood Type, Beauty Detox, etc.). We have doctors and experts who tell us to eat this and not eat that, do this and don’t do that. Plus there are drugs and surgeries that offer a quick solution to our symptoms without treating the problem itself.

Guidance is needed

Unfortunately, with all of these conflicting theories, the biggest problem is that people don’t know what to eat. Most diets ask you to exclude certain types of food and therefore you end up eating less. People often have the mindset that they are on a diet and when they are faced with a stressful situation or event, they “fall off the wagon.” And then, next year, they try another diet.

Find program that works for you

Each person is different. Their genetic makeup, lifestyle, blood type, body type, and food preferences are what make them unique. A nutrition program that works for one person, might not for another. The key is to find a healthy program that works for you (think: long term). Healthy eating should be a lifestyle, not just something you do to lose weight and then go back to what you were doing before.

Here are 20 do’s and don’ts that most weight loss experts can agree on…

Think you can just workout extra and eat the same. People often overestimate how many calories they burn and end up either not losing weight, or worse, gaining weight. You have to combine healthy eating with exercise to see results.

Overdo it with your workouts. Doing too much at once can open you up to injury, which can sideline you and derail your efforts, or burning out. It’s not worth it. Start slowly and increase your intensity and duration over time.

Skimp on sleep. Insufficient sleep results in increased food intake.

Forget to mix up your workouts. Doing the same exercise with the same resistance all the time will eventually lead to fitness and weight loss plateaus.

Give up. It takes time to establish new habits. Give yourself the chance to develop and stick with your healthy habits.

What is one thing from this list you are going to start or stop doing today?

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